Coin-controlled liquid-dispensing apparatus



March 25, 1930.

I E. E. COOPER COIN PONTROLLED LIQUID DISPENSING APPARATUS Filed A g "17, 1927 4 Sheets-S heet llll llllll I ll V INVENTOR TNY March 25, 1930. E E. COOPER 1,752,150

COIN CONTROLLED LIQUID DISPENSING APPARATUS.

Filed Aug. 1'7, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 .1: INVENTOR ZZZYCooper ATTORNEY March 25, 1930. E. E, COOPER I COIN CONTROLLED LIQUID DISPENSING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 17, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR E15? Cooper March 25, 1930.

E. COOPER com CONTROLLED LIQUID DISPENSING APPARATUS Filed Au 17, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR E- If Cooper.

ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 25, 1930 ERNEST E. COOPER, OF ST. STEPHENS, ALABAMA COIN-CONTROLLED LIQUID-DISPENSING APPARATUS Application filed August 17, 1927. Serial No. 218,638.

My invention relates to liquid dispensing apparatus and more particularly to a coin controlled mechanism for dispensing predetermined quantities of liquids.

An object of the invention is to provide a liquid dispensing apparatus wherein a predetermined quantity of liquid will be dispensed for a coin of a predetermined denomination. 7

The invention also provides an apparatus for dispensing liquids, such as gasoline or lubricants, which may be operated in conjunction with gasoline and lubricant pumps of various types now in use.

Further the invention contemplates a gasoline or other liquid dispensing apparatus which will expedite the sale of these products in that it eliminates employees and will permit autoists to purchase these products at such times when the ordinary service stations are closed.

It is another object of the invention to provide a liquid dispensing machine whereby fraud cannot be perpetrated upon either the vendor or the vendee.

' The invention further provides a chart for determining the quantity of liquid to be dispensed for predetermined money value regardless of the market value of the liquid.

With the preceding and other objects and advantages in mind, the invention consists in the novel combination of elements, constructions and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter specifically referred to, claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a liquid dispensing apparatus constructed in accordance with my invention;

Figure 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line 2'2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary the valve actuating bar;

Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a vertical longitudinal sec tional view through one of the coin controlled valves embodied in the invention;

Figure 6 is a horizontal longitudinal secs tional view taken on line 6 -6 of Figure 5;

detail view of Figure 7 is a transverse section on line 77 of Figure 5; I

Figure 8 is a view similar to Figure 6 illustrating the valve in actuated position;

Figure 9 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 9-9 of Figure 6;

Figure 10 is a horizontal sectional view through the valve and taken on line 10-10 of Figure 5;

Figure 11 is an enlarged vertical section view through one of the tanks embodied in the invention and chart associated therewith;

Figure '12 is an enlarged front elevation of the chart; and

Figure 13 is a detail perspective of the indicator or pointer for the chart.

Referring to the invention in detail a gasoline pump 5 having a tank or container 6 at its upper end is provided, and the usual vertically adjustable overflow pipe 7 leading to a storage tank 8.

A master tank or container 9 is arranged in horizontal alinement with the tank or container 6 and is supported upon the pump standard 10. In order to conduct a predetermined amount of gasoline into the master tank 9, a vertically adjustable overflow pipe 11 is vertically movable in the master tank or' container and has its lower end leading to the main supply tank 8. A second pump standard 12 is arranged in horizontal alinement-With the pump 5 and pump standard 10, and supported by these pump standards is a horizontal shelf 13. A plurality of tanks or containers 14, 15, and 16, of graduated diameter, are supported upon the shelf 13. For each of the tanks or containers 9, 14, 15 and 16 is a rectangular valve casing 17 having a removable cover plate 18 and having pairs of transversely alined ports 19 and 20 in their opposite faces. A three-way circular valve element 21 isrevoluble in each of the valve casings to control the coinciding ports 19 and 20. g

An outletpipe 22 leads from the bottom of the pipe or container 6 and communicates with the adjacent port 19 of the valve casing 17 for the master tank or container 9. Short lengths of pipe 23 communicate with the adjacent ports 19 of the valve casings to conthe upper end of the standard 12. A branch pipe 28 leads from the remaining port 20 of each valve casing and communicates with this pipe 25. It will be observed that gasoline from the tank 6 will fiow from the outlet pipe 22 through the various valve casings and discharge into the tanks 9, 14, and 16 when the valve elements are in the position shown in Figure 10. When one or more of the valves 21 are actuated to open position the ports 19 and those ports 20 from which the pipes 24 lead are fully closed before the valve reaches the open position, thus preventing theft of the liquid from the tanks or containers. However, should it be desired to dispense gasoline from the tank 6, a valve 29" in the outlet pipe 22 is closed and a valve 30 in the pipe 25 opened.

A coin controlled mechanism is provided for each valve element 21 and its corresponding tank or container, and as these coin controlled mechanisms are identical, :1 detail description of one will sufiice for an understanding of the invention. As illustrated in Figures 5 to 9 inclusive, this coin controlled -mechanism comprises a rectangular casing 31 having a removable cover 31' and having its under face formed with a recess 32 which extends from a point intermediate its ends to one end thereof. This recess is formed by stopping one of the end vertical walls 33 and elevating the bottom or horizontal wall 34.

.The recess 32 is of a size to snugly accommodate the valve casing with its bottom face flush with the bottom wall of the casing, and its outer vertical face flush with one end wall of the casing. These walls 33 and 34 are cut out, leaving parallel flanges 35 to which the valve casing is secured by. rivets or other suitable fastenings 36. As indicated in Figure 4, the pipe connections between the tank or container 6 and the valve casings 17 pass through the end walls of these casings. v v

Movable longitudinally in the casing. ad j acent the removable top therefor, is a horizontally disposed reciprocablerod 37 passing through the guide, 38 carried by the upper end of anupstanding bracket 39 secured to the bottom wall of the casing, as at 40. A'

U-shaped coin holder 41 is carried by the forward end of the rod 37 which is adapted to carry a coin f predetermined valueto make operative connection with the ralve element and actuate the latter to open position. For this purpose a horizontally disposed U-shaped yoke 42, formed integral with a sleeve 43 which is keyed to a vertically disposed valve stem 44 projecting from the valve element 21, projects in the path of the coin carrier to be engaged by the coin. The coin carriers for the valve are of various sizes to accommodate coins of various denominations, and move at right angles to the normal position of the yokes 42,-so that when any one or more of the coin carriers do not contain a coin these coin carriers will pass through the yokes. without actuating the 3 corresponding valves 21.

Cooperating with the coin holder, in retaining a coin of predetermined value in' operative position,'is a blade 45 having one end positioned within the yoke 42 adjacent its inner end and engaged by an expansible spring 46 having one end positioned in a I recess 47 in the sleeve 43. Normally the blade extends parallel to the reciprocable rod and in spaced relation to the open end of the coin holder. In this connection it is pointed out that the blade for each coin holder is located at such distance away from the open end of the coinciding coin holder as to permit the coin to frictionally contact therewith" when received in the latter. To retain the blade in position in the yoke, a lug 48 is car.

ried by the lower edge thereof and guided in r a groove 49 therein. Relative to the positioning of the blade with respect to the open end ofthe coin holder, it is pointed out that the spring 46 possesses just suflicient resiliency as to hold the blade in a position where its lug will be at that end of the slot furthest from the sleeve 43. Normally the coin holder is in advance of the blade 45 so that upon return of the coin holder with the coin after the apparatus has been actuated, the former will fall within the casing 31.

To guide coins into the coin holder, after the former has been inserted in a slot 50 in the cover 31, a tubular coin guide 51 is provided loo within the casing in vertical alinement with illustrated in Figure 5 this bar or cut-off 53 is movable longitudinally along the under face of the cover 31 and has a coin slot 56 adjacent its free end which normally registers with the coin slot 50" and coin guide 51 to permit a coin to pass into the coin holder. In order to normally retain the'rod 37 and bar 53 in'retracted position,,an ex- 7 pansible coil spring 57 encircling the rod 37 p has one end positionedagain'st the guide 38 and its opposite end positioned against a collar 58 on this rod. Similarly the valve element 21 is returned to normal position wit the U-shaped guide 42 projecting at right an les to the rod 37 by means of a helically coi ed spring 59 encircling the upper end of the valve stem 44 and having one end anchored to the sleeve 43 and its opposite end anchored to the removable top wall of the Y Y casing.

A common actuating mechanism is provided for advancing all of the rods 37 simultaneously and opening a predetermined or selected valve element comprising a longitudinally movable bar 60 extending horizontally, exteriorly ofthe casings 31, and resting upon a plurality of horizontally alined guides 61 projecting laterally from the casings 31 and standard 12, respectively. As illustrated in Figure 6 the lateral arm of each bar 53 and its coinciding rod 37 pro- ]ects laterally through a horizontally disposed longitudinal slot 62 in the front wall of each' casing, and is connected to this bar 60, as at 63. For the purpose of holding the actuating bar in advanced position with one of the valve elements in open position to dispense he contents of one of the tanks or containers, a latch 64 is pivoted to the standard 12 and is formed with a V-shaped member 65 engageable in a V-shaped notch 66 in the latch bar adjacent its outer end. When inserting a coin, it is necessary that the coin holder be moved initially a slight distance to dispose itin vertical alinement with the guide 51. To determine when the coin holder is in proper relation to the coin guide, an arrow 67 is provided on the bar for registration with a similar arrow on the guide 61. The bar is temporarily held each two adjacent lines a second notch in this position by engaging the latch with In'order to set the overflow pipe 11 for the master tank or container 9 to dispense a predetermined quantity of gasoline or other liquid for a predetermined coin, regardless of the market value of the gasoline or other liquid, per gallon, I provide a calculating chart in the form of a rectangular sheet 67 which is supported vertically along the overflow pipe by brackets 68 attached to the inner face of the pump standard 10. Equidistantly spaced horizontal lines 69 extend across the sheet and are numbered consecutively from 1 to 5 gallons- Between each two adjacent horizontal divided by horizontal lines 7 0 representing tenths of gallons. Equidistantly spaced lines 71 extend vertically of the sheet and are numbered consecutively from ten cents to fifty cents to represent market prices of gasoline or other liquid per gallon. Between 71 equidistantly lines 72 are provided representing spaced A curved or are line 73 extends from cents.

' the extreme right vertical line 71 and the h the lines the sheet is right end of the lowest horizontal line 69 to v first vertical line 71 and uppermost horizontal line 69.v For the purpose of illustration, it will be assumed that the selling price of gasoline is twenty cents per gallon, and it is desired to know the quantity of gasoline to be dispensed for fifty cents. Reading from left to right the operator finds the vertical line 71 corresponding to the notation twenty and follows the same downwardly until this line intersects the curved line or are 73. At a glance it will be observed that this intersection occurs intermediate the horizontal lines representing two and three gallons, respectively. This line representing two gallons is then traced from theright to the vertical line corresponding to the notation twenty and the horizontal lines counted upwardly to the intersection, thus computing the quantity of gasoline which -will be two gallons and five-tenths, or onehalf.-

A horizontally disposed indicating pointer or finger 7 4 is provided to facilitate reading of the chart and is carried by a collar 7 5 fixed on the overflow pipe 11 and equipped with a handle 76 whereby the former may be adjusted vertically. A laterally projecting arm 77 projects from the collar 7 5 and is formed with a collar 78 which is slidably received on a vertical rod 79 having its ends supported in lugs or casings 80 formed upon the inner face of the pump standard 10.

As illustrated particularly in Figure 13, the collar 78 is formed; with alaterally threaded boss 81 to receivea set screw 82 for holding the overflow pipe and pointer or indicator finger in adjusted position. To prevent tampering with the overflow pipe, and hence obviate dispensing of too great a quantity of gasoline for a predetermined money value, a lock 83 is inserted through Operation With the overflow pipe 11 and indicator or pointer set, and the valve elements 34 in position as illustrated in Figure 10, gasoline is conducted from the tank or container 6 and discharged into the tanks or containers 9. 14, 15 and 16 until a common level has been reached in these tanks or containers. A coin of predetermined value, dependent upon the contents of which tank or container are to be dispensed, is inserted in the slot 50 of the coin controlled mechanism coinciding with the selected tank or container, and is deposited in the coin guide 41, the latter being frictionally held by the blade 46 and the coin holder. The actuating bar 60 is now ulled forwardly, moving the coin along the blade 45, and as the coin is advanced suf:

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' ficiently its edges engage the U-shaped yoke v42, swinging the latter to rotate the valve cept the one carrying a coin will move through their corresponding yokes 42 without affecting the corresponding valves. In

the event that a person inserts a coin of the requisite value in each of the casings, all of the valves will be actuated simultaneously to permit discharge of the contents of all of the tanks or containers 9, 14, 15and 16.

, vertical rod and hold voir, a vertically rod 35 ed boss.

What is claimed is: 1. In a dispensing apparatus, an elevated reservoir, a vertically adjustable overflow pipe movable through the bottom thereof,

a chart arranged to one side of the overflow rality of separate liquid receiving tanks of a ERNEST E. COOPER.

pipe and having calibrations thereon indieating. a. predetermined quantity of liquid fora predetermined money value, an indieating finger carried by the overflow pipe and adjustable with the latter over the chart to facilitate reading of the latter, a vertical arranged to one side of the overflow pipe, a sleeve carried by the indicating finger and slidable on the rod, an interiorly threadcarriedby the collar, a set screw threadedly received in the boss to engage the the overflow pipe against vertical adjustment and having a transverse opening for registration with the opening in'the boss, and a lock engageable with the registering openings to retain the set screw against being rotated. I

2. In combination an elevated liquid reseradjustable overflow pipe assoclated therewith, a chart arranged to one side of the overflow pipe having vertically spaced calibrations representing different market values horizontal calibrations representing gallons andfractions thereof, a curved line extending with one terminal extending from one horizontal calibration adjacent the lower-edge of the chart, and its other terminal the upper edge of the chart, the points where the curved line intersects a horizontal calibration indicating the amount in liquid gallons for a predetermined money value. and a horizontal indicating finger carried by the pipe and adjustable over the chart I to facilitate reading of the latter.

3. In a liquid dispensing apparatus, a pluof liquid per gallon, spaced from one edge of the chart to the other extending a to a second. horizontal calibration adjacent 

